Paper making method and apparatus

ABSTRACT

An apparatus for making paper includes a stirring tank and a paper making portion. The stirring tank includes: an outer cylinder; a middle cylinder disposed concentrically with the outer cylinder; a raw-material feeding port for feeding raw-material into said stirring tank; a stirring mechanisms; and a top plate for holding the outer and middle cylinders in a predetermined position. The paper making portion is installed below the stirring tank and includes: a wire cloth and a paper making frame having an opening for holding said wire cloth, and the opening is connected to a suction unit. The stirring mechanisms are uniformly disposed above the wire cloth. In addition, a plurality of raw-material feeding ports are uniformly disposed above the wire cloth.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for making paperfrom a solution including various kinds of fiber base materials andfillers dispersed in water, and more particularly to a method andapparatus for making raw paper as an intermediate of a wet frictionmaterial for use as a friction plate.

2. Description of the Related Art

Conventionally, annular frictional materials for use as frictionalplates and the like have been made by punching from sheets of paperbefore or after the paper are thermoset while impregnating withthermosetting resin. However, since the yield of the raw material underthis method is low, there have recently been developed new methods ofdirectly making such annular frictional plates out of raw paper (e.g.,JP-A-2-91294, JP-A-3-76780, JP-A-3-107628, etc.).

On the other hand, in the case of obtaining discontinuous paper bodiessuch as handmade paper, there still exists a problem of bad formation,and JP-A-11-241290 discloses a method of improving the formation.

According to the conventional methods and apparatus for manufacturingdiscontinuous paper bodies such as annular bodies, the paper formationhas not necessarily been satisfactory.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An object of the present invention is to provide a paper making methodand apparatus for obtaining discontinuous paper bodies with further goodpaper formation.

In order to solve the foregoing problem, according to the presentinvention, there is provided a method of making a discontinuous paperbody, including the steps of: feeding a raw material with apredetermined concentration into water which is in a stirred condition;maintaining the stirring condition for a predetermined time after thefeeding step is completed; and passing the raw material diluted with thewater through a wire cloth, while the stirred condition is maintained.Further, there is provided an apparatus for making paper, including: astirring tank including: an outer cylinder; a middle cylinder disposedconcentrically with said outer cylinder; a raw-material feeding port forfeeding raw-material into said stirring tank; stirring mechanisms; and atop plate for holding said outer and middle cylinders in a predeterminedposition, and a paper making portion installed below the stirring tank,said paper making portion including: a wire cloth; and a paper makingframe having an opening for holding the wire cloth, the opening beingconnected to a suction unit, wherein the stirring mechanisms areuniformly disposed above the wire cloth.

In addition, there is provided a paper making method wherein rawmaterial is supplied from a raw-material feeding port disposed above awire cloth uniformly onto the wire cloth. Further, there is provided apaper making apparatus includes a stirring tank including an outercylinder, raw-material feeding ports for supplying raw material,stirring mechanisms, and a top for holding these members in position,wherein a paper making portion which is disposed in the lower portion ofthe stirring tank, has a central body having an opening for holding wirecloth and is connected to a suction unit, wherein said raw-materialfeeding ports are uniformly disposed above the wire cloth or the rawmaterial is supplied from the raw-material feeding ports alternatelydisposed with respect to the central annular line of the paper makingportion of wire cloth or each raw-material feeding port is directedtoward the outer peripheral face of the middle cylinder or eachraw-material feeding port is directed toward the upper apex of theconical surface.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a top view of a paper making apparatus according to a firstembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a top view of a paper making portion according to the firstembodiment;

FIG. 4 is a view showing a separate condition of a stirring tank and thepaper making portion according to the first embodiment;

FIG. 5 is a top view of an arrangement of stirring mechanisms accordingto the first embodiment;

FIG. 6 is a top view of another arrangement of stirring mechanismsaccording to the first embodiment;

FIG. 7 is a top view of a paper making apparatus according to a secondembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 8 is a sectional view taken along the line VIII-VIII of FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a top view of a paper making portion according to the secondembodiment;

FIG. 10 is a view showing an arrangement of raw-material feeding portsaccording to the second embodiment;

FIG. 11 is a view showing another arrangement of raw-material feedingports according to the second embodiment;

FIG. 12 is a sectional view taken along the line XII-XII of FIG. 7 andshowing a paper making apparatus that is separated;

FIG. 13 is a top view of a paper making apparatus according to a thirdembodiment of the invention;

FIG. 14 is a sectional view taken along the line XIV-XIV of FIG. 13;

FIG. 15 is a top view of a paper making apparatus according to a fourthembodiment of the invention;

FIG. 16 is a sectional view taken along the line XVI-XVI of FIG. 15;

FIG. 17 is a top view of a paper making apparatus according to a fourthembodiment of the invention;

FIG. 18 is a sectional view taken on line XVIII-XVIII of FIG. 17; and

FIG. 19 is a sectional view of a paper making apparatus according to asixth embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

A paper making apparatus according to a first aspect of the invention isstructured that an outer cylinder, a middle cylinder, stirring airnozzles, a cleaning fluid jet mechanism and a raw-material feeding portare secured to a top plate. The air nozzles are uniformly arranged abovethe central annular line of a paper making portion of a wire cloth oralternately arranged with respect to the central annular lines thereof.The paper formation is improved on a condition that the air nozzles areuniformly arranged without being biased to the upper portion of thepaper making portion of the wire cloth. Consequently, it is alsopreferable to uniformly arrange the directions of openings for jettingair without being biased in one direction.

The middle cylinder is formed in a substantially conical shape and theraw-material feeding port is provided above the apex of thesubstantially conical portion, so that the thickness of a paper body canbe uniformed.

Further, a water jet is used as the cleaning fluid jet mechanism. A jetof water from the water jet may be performed in the form of a mist,waterdrops or a line of water, but it is preferable that a plurality ofwater jets are provided so that the fluid can equally be sprayed on thewhole inside of a stirring tank.

In addition, a paper making apparatus according to a second aspect ofthe invention is structured that an outer cylinder, a middle cylinder,stirring air nozzles, a cleaning fluid jet mechanism, raw-materialfeeding ports and the like are secured to a top. The raw-materialfeeding ports are uniformly arranged above the central annular line of apaper making portion of a wire cloth or alternately arranged withrespect to the central annular lines thereof. Moreover, the raw-materialfeeding ports are directed to the outer peripheral surface of the innercylinder. Otherwise, the central body of a paper making frame is formedin a conical shape, whereby to construct the raw-material feeding portsabove the apex. By feeding the raw material from the raw-materialfeeding ports, the concentration of the raw material before theoperation of making paper is uniformed without imbalance.

The paper making portion of the wire cloth means an exposed portionbetween the outer cylinder and the central body, that is, a portionwhere the paper body is remained on the wire cloth after the papermaking operation. Further, the central body is structured to form acentral hole of an annular paper body.

The raw-material feeding ports are only needed for allowing the rawmaterial to be fed and the diameter of each jet hole is set to be largeenough to prevent the raw material from being clogged.

[First Embodiment]

With reference to FIGS. 1 to 6, a description will be given of a papermaking apparatus according to a first embodiment of the invention. Asshown in FIGS. 1 to 3, a paper making apparatus 1 includes a stirringtank 2 and a paper making portion 3. The stirring tank 2 includes amiddle cylinder 21, an outer cylinder 23 concentric with the middlecylinder 21, a raw-material feeding port 24, air nozzles 25 as stirringmechanisms and jet holes 28, which are respectively secured to analuminum top plate 26. The middle cylinder 21 has a substantiallyconical portion 22 in the lower end portion thereof. The jet holes 28jet water for cleansing the middle cylinder 21 and the outer cylinder23. A seal ring 27 is also secured to the lower end portion of the outercylinder 23.

The paper making portion 3 is structured such that a wire cloth 31 isfitted to the top of a paper making frame 32 and a cover 34 forcollecting moisture component such as the overflowed raw material islocated in the outside of the paper making frame 32. FIG. 3 is a topview of the paper making portion 3. Reference numeral 38 denotes a watersupply port; 33, a moisture suction port; 35, a discharge port of thecover 35; 45, a central body; and 46, an opening.

The apparatus shown in the drawings is designed to form an annular paperbody as a discontinuous paper body, and the central body 45 forms acentral hole.

FIG. 4 shows a condition that the stirring tank 2 and the paper makingportion 3 in the apparatus shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 are separated fromeach other. FIGS. 5 and 6 are top views showing an arrangement of airnozzles 25 as stirring mechanisms.

As shown in FIG. 4, the stirring tank 2 is separated from the papermaking portion 3 and cleansed in another place where smudges adhered tothe inner wall of the outer cylinder 23 and the outer wall of the middlecylinder 21.

In FIGS. 5 and 6, a line X represents a central annular line of thepaper making portion of the wire cloth 31. In FIG. 5, the air nozzles 25are uniformly disposed along the central annular line X, whereas in FIG.6, the air nozzles 25 are alternately disposed with respect to thecentral annular line X. With these arrangements, the raw material withinthe stirring tank 2 is evenly stirred, whereby the formation of thepaper body is improved.

A description will now be given of a method of making paper using theapparatus according the first embodiment. First, the stirring tank 2 andthe paper making portion 3 are combined together as shown in FIG. 2.When a predetermined amount of water is supplied via the water supplyport 38, the water is passed through an opening 46 to thereby begathered inside the paper making frame 32 and between the middlecylinder 21 and the outer cylinder 23. Further, the air is jetted outvia the air nozzles 25 so as to stir the water gathered between themiddle cylinder 21 and the outer cylinder 23. In this condition, the rawmaterial diluted to a predetermined concentration is fed from theraw-material feeding port 24. While the stirred condition is kept evenafter the raw material has been fed for several ten seconds, the papermaking is carried out. Then, moisture component (including moisturecomponent contained in the raw material) is sucked from a suction port33 and discharged. Thus, a paper body is made on the wire cloth 31.

[Second Embodiment]

A description will be given of a paper making apparatus according to asecond embodiment of the invention with reference to FIGS. 7 to 12. Asshown in FIGS. 7 to 9, a paper making apparatus 101 includes a stirringtank 102 and a paper making portion 103. The stirring tank 102 is formedby mounting raw-material feeding ports 150, stirring air nozzles 160,jet nozzles 170 and an outer cylinder 112 onto an aluminum top 110integrally formed with a middle cylinder 111. A seal 114 is secured tothe lower portion of the outer cylinder so as not to leak the rawmaterial outside.

On the other hand, the paper making portion 103 includes a paper makingframe 115, a cover 116 and a central body 120. The paper making frame115 holds a wire cloth 113 and has a suction port 117. The cover 116collects moisture component such as the raw material caused to overflowoutside from the paper making frame 115. The central body 120 has anopening 121 communicating with the suction port 117. Reference numeral118 denotes a discharge port of the cover 116.

As shown in FIG. 7, the raw-material feeding ports 150 and the airnozzles 160 are arranged equally on the annular wire cloth. With thisarrangement, the raw material can equally be fed within the stirringtank and the concentration of the raw material within the stirring tankcan also be equalized immediately before the operation of making paperis performed.

FIGS. 10 and 11 are views showing an arrangement of the raw-materialfeeding ports when viewed the paper making portion of the wire cloth 113from the above; FIG. 10 illustrates as shown in FIGS. 7 and 8 theraw-material feeding ports that are equally arranged on the centralannual line X of the paper making portion of the wire cloth 113; andFIG. 11 illustrates the raw-material feeding ports that are alternatelyarranged with respect to the central annular line X.

A description will now be given of a method of making paper using theapparatus according to the second embodiment of the invention. First,the stirring tank 102 and the paper making portion 103 are combinedtogether as shown in FIG. 8. (FIG. 12 shows a separated condition.Incidentally, although FIG. 8 shows the sectional view taken along theline VIII-VIII of FIG. 7, FIG. 12 shows a sectional view taken along theline XII-XII of FIG. 7). When a predetermined amount of water issupplied via a water supply port 122 to be gathered inside the papermaking frame 115 and between the middle cylinder 111 and the outercylinder 112. Further, air is jetted via the air nozzles 160 so as tostir the water gathered between the middle cylinder 111 and the outercylinder 112.

In this condition, the raw material diluted to a predeterminedconcentration is fed from the raw-material feeding ports 150. Thestirred condition is kept even after the raw material has been fed for30 seconds, and then, the paper making is carried out. Moisturecomponent (including moisture component containing the raw material) issucked from a suction port 117 and discharged. Thus, a paper body ismade on the wire cloth 113. The operation of making paper may beperformed while the stirred condition is maintained or after the stirredcondition is stopped.

FIG. 12 shows a condition that the stirring tank 102 and the papermaking portion 103 in the paper making apparatus 111 are separated andfurther the stirring tank 102 is cleansed. The cleansing is carried outby jetting the water in the stirring tank 102 via the air nozzles 170.The air nozzle 170 is installed in a plurality of places and thecleansing is carried out as a separate step separately from the papermaking portion 103.

[Third Embodiment]

A description will be given of a paper making apparatus according to athird embodiment of the invention with reference to FIGS. 13 and 14. Thethird embodiment is different from the second one in that raw-materialfeeding ports 151 are provided on the sides of the middle cylinder 111.The basic structure of the third embodiment is similar to what is shownin FIGS. 13 and 14, and the constitutional elements identical with thoseof the second embodiment are given by like reference numerals. In thesecond embodiment of the invention shown in FIGS. 13 and 14, as theraw-material feeding ports 150, the air nozzles 160 and the jet waternozzles 170 are fitted to the top plate 110, the space of the top isnarrowed. In case where the diameter of the paper body to be made islarge, there develops no problem, but in case where the diameter thereofis small, however, the installation area of such a top plate would causea serious problem.

The apparatus structured according to the third embodiment of theinvention can solve any problem of the sort mentioned above. Further,since the number of raw-material feeding ports 151 and air nozzles 160can be increased, the concentration of raw material is uniformedfurther. Incidentally, the positions of the raw-material feeding portsmay be above or below the water level Y in the stirring tank 102.

Further, an inclination 152 directed upward from each raw-materialfeeding port 151 is formed such that no raw material is left on thebottom surface of the middle cylinder 111. In addition, the raw-materialfeeding port 151 is also inclined so as to match with the inclination152.

[Fourth Embodiment]

A description will be given of a paper making apparatus according to afourth embodiment of the invention with reference to FIGS. 15 and 16.The constitutional elements identical with those of FIGS. 7 and 9 aregiven by like reference numerals. The fourth embodiment is differentfrom the first and second embodiments in that the stirring air nozzlesare not fitted to the top plate, but air is jetted from air jet holes161 defined to the middle cylinder 111. The rest of the formation ofthis embodiment of the invention is similar to what is shown in thesecond embodiment thereof.

Although not shown, the stirring tank may be cleansed by jetting thewater from the holes bored in the middle cylinder.

[Fifth Embodiment]

A description will be given of a paper making apparatus according to afifth embodiment of the invention with reference to FIGS. 17 and 18. Inthis embodiment, the front end 153 of each raw-material feeding port 150is directed to the outer peripheral face of the middle cylinder 111 andthe fed raw material is flown along the outer peripheral face of themiddle cylinder 111. Further, the lower end of the middle cylinder 111is formed in a conical surface 119 and with this arrangement, eventhough only one raw-material feeding port is provided, the raw materialmoves down on the outer peripheral face of the middle cylinder 111 andtogether with the conical surface at its lower end, the raw material isuniformly supplied onto the wire cloth 113.

[Sixth Embodiment]

A description will be given of a paper making apparatus according to asixth embodiment of the invention with reference to FIG. 19. In thisembodiment, the surface of the central body 120 is formed in asubstantially conical shape, and the raw-material feeding port 150 isdisposed above the apex of the cone.

With this arrangement, the raw material is caused to flow in the wholeperipheral direction along the conical surface 154, so that the rawmaterial is uniformly supplied onto the wire cloth 113.

According to the present invention, the paper making method andapparatus are thus arranged, it is possible to obtain the discontinuouspaper body with an excellent paper formation.

While only certain embodiments of the invention have been specificallydescried herein, it will apparent that numerous modifications may bemade thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of theinvention.

1. An apparatus for making paper, comprising: a stirring tank including:an outer cylinder; a middle cylinder located concentrically with saidouter cylinder and in the inside of said outer cylinder; a raw-materialfeeding port for feeding a raw material; stirring mechanisms disposedbetween said outer cylinder and said middle cylinder; and a top platefor holding said outer and middle cylinders in a predetermined position,and a paper making portion installed below said stirring tank, saidpaper making portion including: a wire cloth; and a paper making framehaving an opening for holding said wire cloth, said opening beingconnected to a suction unit, wherein said stirring mechanisms areuniformly disposed above said wire cloth.
 2. The paper making apparatusaccording to claim 1, wherein said equally disposed stirring mechanismsare alternately disposed with respect to a central annular line of apaper making portion of said wire cloth.
 3. The paper making apparatusaccording to claim 1, wherein said stirring mechanisms are air nozzles.4. The paper making apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a cleaningfluid jet mechanism is provided on said top plate.
 5. A method of makingan annular paper body, comprising the steps of: feeding a raw materialfrom a raw-material feeding port disposed above a wire cloth so that theraw material is uniformly fed onto said wire cloth; and passing the rawmaterial diluted in water through said wire cloth.
 6. The paper makingmethod according to claim 5, wherein said feeding step feeds the rawmaterial from a plurality of raw-material feeding ports uniformlydisposed above said wire cloth.
 7. The paper making method according toclaim 6, wherein said feeding step feeds the raw material from saidplurality of raw-material feeding ports alternately disposed withrespect to a central annular line of a paper making portion of said wirecloth.
 8. The paper making method according to claim 5, wherein in saidfeeding step, the raw material is fed while crawling on the surface of amiddle cylinder provided within a paper making apparatus.
 9. The papermaking method according to claim 5, wherein a central body having asubstantially conical portion is provided within a paper makingapparatus, and said feeding step feeds the raw material toward the apexof said conical portion of said central body.
 10. The paper makingmethod according to claim 5, wherein said feeding step feeds the rawmaterial with a predetermined concentration into water which is in astirred condition, and said passing step is carried out whilemaintaining the stirred condition for a predetermined time after saidfeeding step is completed.
 11. A paper making apparatus comprising: astirring tank including: an outer cylinder; a middle cylinder locatedconcentrically with the outer cylinder and in the inside of said outercylinder; a raw-material feeding port for feeding a raw material;stirring mechanisms disposed between said outer cylinder and said middlecylinder; and a top plate for holding said outer cylinder, said middlecylinder and said stirring mechanisms in a predetermined position; and apaper making portion disposed in a lower portion of said stirring tank,said paper making portion including: a wire cloth; and a central bodyhaving an opening for holding said wire cloth and is connected to asuction unit, wherein said raw-material feeding ports -are uniformlydisposed above said wire cloth.
 12. The paper making apparatus accordingto claim 11, wherein said raw-material feeding ports are alternatelydisposed with respect to a central annular line of a paper makingportion of said wire cloth.
 13. The paper making apparatus according toclaim 11, wherein the middle cylinder has a cylindrical column shape.14. The paper making apparatus according to claim 11, wherein one of astirring air supply hole, said raw-material feeding port and a cleaningfluid jet port is provided on a side surface of said middle cylinder.15. A paper making apparatus comprising: a stirring tank including: anouter cylinder; a middle cylinder located concentrically with the outercylinder and in the inside of said outer cylinder; a raw-materialfeeding port for feeding a raw material; stirring mechanisms disposedbetween said outer cylinder and said middle cylinder; and a top platefor holding said outer cylinder, said middle cylinder and said stirringmechanisms in a predetermined position; and a paper making portiondisposed in a lower portion of said stirring tank, said paper makingportion including: a wire cloth; and a central body having an openingfor holding said wire cloth and is connected to a suction unit, whereinsaid raw-material feeding port is directed to the outer peripheralsurface of said middle cylinder.
 16. A paper making apparatuscomprising: a stirring tank including: an outer cylinder; a raw-materialfeeding port for feeding a raw material; stirring mechanisms disposedwithin said outer cylinder; and a top plate for holding said outercylinder, said raw-material feeding port and said stirring mechanisms ina predetermined position; and a paper making portion disposed in a lowerportion of said stirring tank, said paper making portion including: awire cloth; and a central body having an opening for holding said wirecloth and is connected to a suction unit, an upper surface of saidcentral body being formed in a substantially conical shape, wherein saidraw-material feeding port is disposed above the apex of the conicalupper surface.